Much thanks for the link. That's a great and unsettling book, and I won't forget it in a hurry. I'm very glad indeed the problem was sorted out, and I hope his eyes stay good. The idea of blindness frightens me too.

Forty-five is hardly ancient, mind. My father learned to program in Basic at around that age, and became a right Wiz at it. (Thanks to my little brother's eccentric obsessions, some very singular learning-software came into existence.) It's twenty years younger than Mr Churchill when he took over in WWII.

I was afraid I wouldn't be able to read it, that PDF file was just way to big. It would download and open just fine, but my PC would freeze up on the title page. I'm glad he found a better way of posting it online.

It was a great story. I hope this isn't going to be James Burns' only comic. I look forward to see more from him in the future.

Seriously, though, I think blindness is the worst fear for any visual artist, especially if you need to wear glasses already.

My grandfather had a lot of problems with his peepers in his old age, and he was reduced to seeing only shadows near the end. For him, I think, it was like a great isolation, especailly since his hearing was almost gone, too. Even though I'm pretty nearsighted (got so bad, I started wearing contacts, rather than those thick Coke-bottles), and I know what it's like to see things in a blur, I still can't imagine what it would be like not be able to see at all. And don't any of you wisenhiemers out there tell me to "Try closing your eyes." _________________"Park the beers, and grab the smiles. It's flight time." - LtCdr. J. Robert "Bobby" Stone, USN (R.I.P.)

When I was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I could barely see because of it. As someone who loves to draw and express myself visually, it felt as if I'd been castrated. Luckily, that attack receded and the only permanent eye-nerve damage I suffered from it was some nearsightedness. Which is fine for drawing. _________________-R o n A m o r i M